Next month the finale of the AJ Bell Women’s Tour will take place in Suffolk, and to celebrate, Active Suffolk have partnered with Suffolk County Council to invite local primary schools to participate in the Women’s Tour School Challenge.
Following the completion of the challenge, three lucky primary schools will win a day of cycle coaching, provided by Bike Smart and delivered by former National BMX Champion and British Cycling Coach, John Stockwell.
Coinciding with Bike to School Week which runs from the 27th September to 1st October, pupils from primary schools across the county will be challenged with logging the time they spend cycling or scooting, with the intention of travelling the equivalent distance of the final leg of this year’s AJ Bell Women’s Tour which will take the riders from Haverhill to Felixstowe.
Cllr Andrew Reid, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Communities and Public Protection, said “The Women’s Tour Schools Challenge is a fantastic opportunity for pupils and teachers to get actively involved in the AJ Bell Women’s Tour in the build up to the race on the 9th October and I would encourage them to sign up straight away.
Cycling has so many benefits for the environment and our health and I very much hope that the school challenge will help inspire more young people to get out on their bikes and get more active.”
All Suffolk primary schools are invited to sign up for the challenge before Thursday 23rd September. They will then be sent challenge posters which will allow their children to log the minutes they have spent cycling or scooting during Bike to School Week.
Shan Bendall, Project Officer at Active Suffolk said “Cycling is a fantastic way to get active as a way of travel or just for the fun and freedom it brings. As well as helping children along the way to their 60 active minutes a day, cycling improves fitness, boosts positive mental attitude and teachers report higher levels of alertness in children who have cycled to school.
Through the creation of a fun and inclusive challenge like this one, we hope to support many more young people to be active and excel.”
After the week-long challenge, schools will be asked to submit their posters to Active Suffolk where three lucky schools will be randomly selected to win a day with John Stockwell who will deliver a range of fun and inclusive cycle coaching sessions for their children.
If you work in a local primary school, request your challenge pack today at www.activesuffolk.cresign.co.uk/.
Remember, the deadline is Thursday 23rd September.
